Bathing cap



Patented Oct. 14, 1952 to Pretty Prodirctsglnc Goshocton, Qhlo, arbor-"poration of Ohio 7 Application November 1 scr ens. (on. 2-68) Thisinvention relates caps.

tothe art of bathing;

It has of course always been desirable for a bathing cap to prevent theentrance'of water thereunder so as to keep the user's hair dry; and

there have been various attempts to producesuch a cape However, thereappears to'have been experienced considerable difficulty because of thefact that. in applyingthe cap to the head of the user, it is pulled in adirection transverse to that of normal engagement-of the sealing meansthat is provided upon the inner surface of the. cap and: such transversepulling of the sealing means has seriously interfered with its assuming.proper position for effective sealing engagement.

Accordingly, the object of the present invention is to devise a bathingcap with sealing-means upon the inside thereof that will permitapplication of the cap to the head of the user inxthe usual manner andat the same time .will ensure 1 effective engagement of the sealingmeans with the head of the user.

More specifically, my object isto devise a bathing cap with such asealing means that will respond to the usual pulling or stretchingaction during application of the same to the users head and will at onceresume normal effective condition for most efiective sealing engagementupon release of the same when such pulling stretch-a ing action has beencompletedand the cap has been placed in the desired position.

Other objects will appear from the following description and claims whenconsidered together with the accompanying drawing.

Fig. 1 illustrates, in side elevation, the present bathing cap inposition upon the head of the user and with a portion of the same turnedback so as to expose my improved sealing means;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged view of a portion of my improved sealing means;and

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken on either line 3-3 of Fig. 1 or line 33of Fig. 2.

It is to be understood that the present form of disclosure is merely forthe purpose ofillustration and that there might be devised variousmodifications thereof without departing from the spirit of my inventionas herein set forth and claimed.

Referring now to the accompanying drawing in detail, the cap I of rubberor rubber-like material is provided upon the inner surface thereof, nearthe edge, with my improved sealing means which forms an integral part ofthe cap itself; and this sealing means extend entirely about the edgeportion of the cap. The rubber or rubberhence of a resilient nature.

Also, upon opposite :sides of the middlerib 2,.

.1949, Serial No. 124393, j 1-.

like of thecapibeingof resilient nature, the sealing means is alsoresilient, as will be explained.

This sealing presentiillustration,

consists of a clov 'en or double-middle rib 2 and the single ribs 3 and[which extend along opposite sides of the middle rlb Z- and in.parallel'relation thereto. All of theseribs 2, 3"andA' project invwardly from the inner surface of the bathing cap and, under normalconditions occupy.position,

substantially normal to the surface of.. -the.cap'..

Each of these ribs may beofntapered, or wedge form, as clearlyindicatedinEig. 3 ofthefdraWi-ng, Along the inside of eachlof the ribs.3 and 4 I, have provided buttresses ia and qa, respectively, whichextend in a direction normal to their ribs and are inclined awaytherefromafter the manner of a mechanical buttress, These buttresses areformed integrally with the cap and ribs and are I have provided theintegraL-buttresses 2a which I are of the same formasthe buttresses 3aand 4a. The buttresses 2a, uponthe oppositesidesof the rib, 2 arearranged opposite each otherrandare staggered with respect to thebuttresses 3c and. 4a which are located opposite eachether. Also, asclearly indicatedin Fig. 2 of the drawing, the

staggered buttressesvextend into the opposite spaces between theopposite row of buttresses in each instance; but all of the buttressesof one rib terminate decidedly short of the opposite rib, with theresult that the buttresses of each of the ribs 3 and 4 act independentlyof the buttresses of the other rib and independently also of thebuttresses 2a of the middle rib. The ribs may be all of the same heightand the ribs 3 and 4 are of duplicate form and dimensions. Also, all ofthe buttresses of the several ribs may be of the same form anddimensions, and the buttresses are of less depth or height than the ribsat the points where they join the ribs.

Except for my particular sealing means, as herein described, the bathingcap in all other respects may be of the same form as the familiarbathing cap, including the strap 5 which has its one end attached to oneside of the cap and is adapted to extend beneath the users chin and tohave snap engagement at its other end with the other side of the cap, asindicated in Fig. 1 and as will be readily understood.

Such a cap will of course have a close fit upon the head of the user andit will be pulled over the head in the same manner as the familiarrubber bathing cap. During such application of the cap, the ribs 2, 3and 4 will be flexed towards flattened condition against the resistanceof their buttresses, the buttresses 3a and adjacent buttresses 2a beingcompressed and the buttresses 4a and adjacent buttresses 211 beingstretched, so that all of the buttresses are temporarily deformed whilepulling the cap onto the head to theproper position, Then when the caphas. been fully placed upon the head and released, the natural tendencyof the buttresses to again assume their normal condition, will causetheir respective ribs to return to upright condition, that issubstantially normal to the body of the cap and the head of the, user;

and the entire action of each rib during its terne I porary deformationand return to normal condiallel. spaced resilient sealing ribs near theedge thereof including a middle double rib and a rib Jupon each sidethereof, and said cap being provided also with separate resilientbuttresses extion will be entirely independent of that of the I otherribs by virtue of the independentarrangement of the buttresses of eachrib, as above explained.

Thus,,in .the event that the cap fits the users head so tightlythatfone, of th'e several ribs; might tending substantially normal toand connected independently of 1 each other with the sides of said ribs,the buttresses upon the sides of the middle rib'being opposite eachother, and the buttresses of the respective sides of the outer ribs notreturn completely to itsnormal' condition-11 upon release of the same,such binding of the.

one rib will not affect theotherribswhich, be

cause of the independentfaction of their but tresses, will be permittedto respond to the flex ing of their buttresses and to be returnedthereby to normal condition for most effective sealing; The result isthat, with the severai ribs and their independently acting buttresses,there is ensured a water-tight seal between the marginal portion of the.cap and the head or the user and consequently there is no danger ofleakage. Furthermore, by virtue of the resilient nature'of the cap bodyand'the integrally formedseparate ribs with their individualands'epa'rate and hide-pend ently acting buttresses, this sealingmeanswill be self-accommodating to the 'shape ofthej-head of the 'userso as to still furthenensure water ing in "a most complete'and effectivemanner.

. a '40 tight engagement at all points. That is'to say," my improvedsealing means isfs'elf accommodat those who are familiar with theart'towhich this invention relates.

What I claim is:

l. A bathing cap of resilient rubbei' like mate rial having its innersurface providedwithinte gral inwardly extending parallel'spa'cedresilient sealing ribs near the edgethereof'and provided adjacent themiddle rib being opposite each other and in staggered relationship withrespect to the buttresses of the middle rib, so as to permit flexingaction of said ribs independently of each other. I v

3 A bathing cap of resilient rubber-like material having its innersurface provided with a plurality of integral inwardly extendingparallel spaced resilient sealing ribs near the-edge-thereof including amiddle double rib and arib upon each side thereof, andsaid'capbeingprovided also with separate resilient'integralbuttressesextending substantially normal to and connected independently of eachotherxwith 1 the sides of said ribs, the buttresses upon the sides ofthe middle rib being opposite each other, and the buttresses of therespective sides of the outer ribs adjacent the middle ribbeing'opposite each other and in staggering relationship with respect tothe buttresses of the middle rib, so as to permit flexing action ofsaidribs independently of each other." I

' WILLIAM DTIMMONS.

. Name Date 1,781,842 Howland Nov. 18, 1930 2,285,659

Howland June9, 1942

